Best pals killed by train while trying to retrieve car part in freak accident
A horrific chain of events led to two teenage best friends being tragically killed by a train.
Oregon teens Brayden Fear and Kaleb Banzer, both 19, tragically died after they jumped over the barrier into the restricted area on the TriMet transit system in Portland and were struck by the Metropolitan Area Express. The friends, from Boring, had scaled the barrier after part of the car they were in had detached in a crash they were in along the I-84 freeway.
The incident left both families heartbroken when the "inseparable" pair suddenly passed away. Fear's aunt Jody Golston explained to KPTV that the family had been left devastated, particularly her own daughter Mariah. "He was her person, and likewise," she said.
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Fear and Banzer had become 'inseparable' (KPTV)"They were 18 months apart. They would joke around and call each other brother-cousin and sister-cousin, because they were so much closer than cousins."
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Recently, Fear graduated from Oregon City Service Learning Academy and had future plans to start a car detailing business."He worked really, really hard and did really well for himself for being 19," Golston said.
Golston explained the two friends had become extremely close after reconnecting in recent years following a close relationship in childhood. Of the two teens, she added: "[They] literally were inseparable, and they were living their best lives at 19... It’s so new and it’s so fresh, we’re just taking it minute by minute honestly."
The teens tried to retrieve part of the car that had come loose (KPTV)Her nephew had only recently bought his dream car, but it is unclear if that was the one being driven in the initial car crash.
“He was loyal to a fault, he loved his people big, he loved to make people laugh,” she said. “He would help anybody with anything. Anything he did, he did with a lot of pride, and he wanted everyone to know that. That’s who he was.”
Portland Police Bureau responded to the scene. Chief Bob Day said: "For the families directly impacted, that have lost a loved one, just that we grieve with them and we’re doing all that we can in our power to mitigate and minimise these events."
A GoFundMe has been set up for the families of both teens, raising over $37,000 so far. In a post, Banzer's aunt Jessica called the event and "numbing and devastating time." She said: "Kaleb lit up the room wherever he was. This loss will affect us forever."
In a touching tribute, one person who donated to Banzer's page wrote: "My heart is shattered for you all. Kaleb for sure always kept us laughing. Love to you all."
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